MBEs OBEs in the Military

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Old-Salt

In general, are the military recipients of the award of MBE/OBE worthy of the award when you consider that for the most part they received it for a short term but high profile MOD project or some similar short term activity (charity event) whilst in the main just doing their job ? Also there is a general concensus that Heads of Corps are obliged to cite a specifiic number of individuals from selected units/formations to ensure a balance of the awards throughout the Army.

Before you answer please contrast this with the civilian recipients who have for example devoted their entire lives to voluntary charity work (30 years plus) or won 2 olympic gold, done some magnificent feat or even saved the lives of 100s of people.

Old-Salt

LE

Lollypop ladies get it in civvie street.
Its bollox to think that each Corps and Regt has a quota of gongs to dish out. Some Corps are very good at writing their people up, some just cant be arrsed to do it.

"Any statements I make while using this website are purely of my own opinion and are not to be construed as statements of fact and are not said with any intended malice. My opinions are a reflection of my earned right to freedom of expression and speech and do not necessarily reflect that of the site owners."

Old-Salt

Its here because Im in the R Sigs and we have many many MBEs and OBEs in our Corps - I also believe in free speech so please post yourself immediatly to some dictatorship in a far off land where your comments will go unnoticed.

I was privy to a signal many years ago from an unnamed Major General to a Brigade Commander who was effectively told to write 2 citations for the award of MBE and to submit them by a certain date - needless to say the recipients were completely surprised and probably to this day wondering what the **** they ever did to earn it.

LE

Just be a little careful about dissing soldiers with an MBE. There used to be opportunity to award an Additional membership which was a form of gallantry award. This was the one most often given to Felix for service in NI. Distinguished by silver oak leaf worn on the ribbon. If the object of your disdain has this, be aware he was singled out for something quite different from washing the doorstep at No 10 for 30 years.

Old-Salt

Surely the whole point of awards is to set standards and to see an award that is not merited surely undermines the award

This is not my opinion so dont give me flack for it but Ive read in many posts that Johnson Beharry did not merit his VC - does this undermine the award of the VC ? Note this is not my words or opinion so please dont give me a hard time over it.

LE

However expericing having first handed in administrating a recommondation for an MBE which after reading the citation it was greatly deserved. It was blatently obvious that the senior officer didnt have an MBE so it got down graded to a Joint commanders commendation. Me feels that the CO and one up didnt have that award, therefore = conclusion, well I havent one, so why should he. Cynical or just sour grapes. i obviously cant disccuss the case due to OPSEC. But all I say it was what the guy did saved lots of lives.
Cnuts

I would rather be mexican bumwanked by giant haystacks and ram a jam jar of angry wasps up my ronson than be Camberwell Carrott.........

LE

I was privy to a signal many years ago from an unnamed Major General to a Brigade Commander who was effectively told to write 2 citations for the award of MBE and to submit them by a certain date - needless to say the recipients were completely surprised and probably to this day wondering what the * they ever did to earn it.

"Any statements I make while using this website are purely of my own opinion and are not to be construed as statements of fact and are not said with any intended malice. My opinions are a reflection of my earned right to freedom of expression and speech and do not necessarily reflect that of the site owners."

War Hero

Do you not have anything else to think about other than medals and awards....

All the best fella

MB

Its here because Im in the R Sigs and we have many many MBEs and OBEs in our Corps - I also believe in free speech so please post yourself immediatly to some dictatorship in a far off land where your comments will go unnoticed.

I was privy to a signal many years ago from an unnamed Major General to a Brigade Commander who was effectively told to write 2 citations for the award of MBE and to submit them by a certain date - needless to say the recipients were completely surprised and probably to this day wondering what the * they ever did to earn it.

OldRedCap:-

Just be a little careful about dissing soldiers with an MBE. There used to be opportunity to award an Additional membership which was a form of gallantry award. This was the one most often given to Felix for service in NI. Distinguished by silver oak leaf worn on the ribbon. If the object of your disdain has this, be aware he was singled out for something quite different from washing the doorstep at No 10 for 30 years.

Thank God the unnamed Brigade Commander could write a decent citation. Local Councils are past masters at it and have no hesitation in nominating many whom they consider worthy recipients, be they shoit house cleaners or lollypop ladies and good luck to them. Most serving or ex servicemen would say â Fook knows why I got it, there were far more deserving that me!" You, it would seem hold the recipients you refer to in low esteem? I would have thought that perhaps the unnamed Major General was gently telling the Brigade Commander to pull his finger out. Anyway, Iâm sure that the two were well deserving! Most who complain, are just snivelling twerps who think that they should have got one.

As for what ORC writes, now we are talking a whole different ball game. Hats off to any who managed to get the Silver Oak Leaf!

Thus the metric system did not really catch on in the States, unless you count the increasing popularity of the nine-millimeter bullet.

Old-Salt

I was privy to a signal many years ago from an unnamed Major General to a Brigade Commander who was effectively told to write 2 citations for the award of MBE and to submit them by a certain date - needless to say the recipients were completely surprised and probably to this day wondering what the * they ever did to earn it.

LE

its a bit different thoughn isnt it, CR says:
Soldier A is a quiet but confident individual
and you could be the gobbiest pish artist in the world

Citations says:
Soldier A did ............ and ............. etc and is awarded the MBE

Soldier looks at citation for MBE and knows what he got it for.

"Any statements I make while using this website are purely of my own opinion and are not to be construed as statements of fact and are not said with any intended malice. My opinions are a reflection of my earned right to freedom of expression and speech and do not necessarily reflect that of the site owners."

lets just say that everyone agreed they did a good job but everyone also thought it didnt merit the award of an MBE - it was widely stated that they were in the right post at the right time - heh good on them I say but in the long run it does undermine the award wouldnt you agree

LE

In the day it was given as an award for services in a difficult place, as an award for outstanding service in an area that was not fully appreciated by the civilian population. And those Ops that could not otherwise be fully sanctioned.

Today and in the last 15 years (IMHO) it has been passed out to a minority to keep pace with the civi awards.

War Hero

Lollypop ladies get it in civvie street.
Its bollox to think that each Corps and Regt has a quota of gongs to dish out. Some Corps are very good at writing their people up, some just cant be arrsed to do it.

War Hero

I was privy to a signal many years ago from an unnamed Major General to a Brigade Commander who was effectively told to write 2 citations for the award of MBE and to submit them by a certain date - needless to say the recipients were completely surprised and probably to this day wondering what the * they ever did to earn it.

War Hero

I have known of people to get it for being in the right position and basically for not mucking it up.

However put that against some ****ing useless cricketer or some pop singing twat and even if they only got it for doing their job well it is far better they get it for service rendered to Queen and Country than some complete waste of space.

And anyway don't we get the Military Division of the MBE/OBE which Mrs Mop can't get.

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by from this day until the ending of the world but we in it shall be remembered. We few, we happy few, we band of brothers, For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother, Be he ne'er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition, and gentlemen in England now abed shall think themselves acursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whilst any speaks, that fought with us upon St. Crispin's day!

War Hero

I have known of people to get it for being in the right position and basically for not mucking it up.

However put that against some *ing useless cricketer or some pop singing twat and even if they only got it for doing their job well it is far better they get it for service rendered to Queen and Country than some complete waste of space.

And anyway don't we get the Military Division of the MBE/OBE which Mrs Mop can't get.

Hi Spliff Boy your entitled to your own opinion but you really should control that dangerous outburst - have you had your blood pressure checked lately ? Im not in here to make friends nor enemies but to provoke debate that is relevant to our everyday lives in the Sigs - if your not happy with it i suggest you subscribe to the "Saddam Hussein Club of Censorship" on the next ISP